Second week

Ah, mom just left. She came up for a brief visit, but what a wonderful time! Her presence brought the warm air from home and comfort. I never realized how fun a meal can be until mom came. Most of the time, I simply grab anything that would quench my thirst or stop my hunger, and go on working. I pour down milk into a cereal bowl in the morning, order some fast food at lunch and ride my bike out in search of any food for dinner. But deep down in my heart, I've missed the fellowship around table, random conversations and noisy talks. This is what she said to me on the first night after I had said a constant nos for all the snacks she offered to me, "Mink, you've changed. You don't eat that much." I never noticed that at all until she pointed it out to me. Eating has been only an act of surviving, not an enjoyable habit since I came here. But now I'm gonna cherish it more, and give thanks to God for what He has blessed me.

Life continues. This week has flown by eventfully. I've become better at work and got well-adjusted with the ways things are. I began to feel comfortable being around my co-workers. I'm more familiar with the area, local people and culture. I'm settling in. :) But Mink is still the same - clumsy.

On Monday I got myself injured while I was walking to Carrefour. I didn't really pay attention to the road that I was walking on because my eyes were so focused on the newly advertised billboard, so apparently I didn't see that there was a pretty big hole in front of me. You can guess the rest of the story. My right leg went right into that hole, and got stuck. Surely no one could help me, so I had to pull myself out and got the wound dressed. Afterwards while I was trying to walk back, a guy on a motorbike approached me and asked me for money. He said that he was from Bangkok, and he lost all money (while he still had his wallet with him). Scared and exhausted, I asked him what he wanted. So he asked if he could "borrow" some 300 baht. Of course I couldn't give him that much...but I felt the urge to give. A scripture from Matthew 25 came to me when Jesus said to the righteous, " 'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me' "" (Matt. 25:35-36). Though I knew that it was stupid to give money to strangers, at least I did what Jesus may want me to (or I thought so). Money may be a need for me to survive, but when someone asked for help, should I just turn him away though I may be a fool?

Anyway, I also got to go on my very first trip to Chiang-Rai. P.Yui, my colleague, I and a sponsor from USA drove up to meet with his Karen sponsored child and her family. It was definitely a blessed trip. I really had a pleasant ride because 1) I wasn't a driver and 2) there were different kinds of trees and green hills everywhere. When we got to the project, we met up with the staff and were oriented. Then we drove to the child's home which was nearby but the road to her home was so difficult. It was a dirt and rocky road. Yet when we got there, the beauty of the location AND her beauty took my breath away. It was a small bamboo house snug in the vast arm of the hill. To the left, a cliff rose high to the sky. Right in front of me stood a stunning young lady with her traditional white robe smiling shyly and her good looking mom and dad. Their weather-worn brown skins gave us hints of their long labors under the sky. Yet their broad smile that showed all the broken jagged teeth just told me how content they are. So we were invited in and seated at the front porch. It was neat to see the reunion, if I could call this, of the sponsor and the child. They've been corresponding for 8 years but this was their first time of seeing each other. I was sitting there watching these two lives that are totally different and distinctly opposite. One is from a rich country, and money is not a problem while the other one is still trying to make ends meet each day. But again, I guess earthly wealth isn't what a soul is looking for. What I saw in the girl's eyes were the joy to meet someone she has come to love and gratefulness to what she has received.

On Friday night, mom and I just went to the night bazarre and had burger king! Hmm...happy meal it was. Well, I guess I must end here since the internet cafe is closing. Bonne Nuite!In Christ

First Week

Greetings from Chiang-Mai

This is the beginning of my 2nd week here. Life goes by quicker than I first thought. I've made new friends, learned new facts and gone on a lot of adventures. It's amazing how my life could change so much: being on my own, having unlimited adventures, witnessing such eye-opening truths, being so close to the nature. Here it is in Chiang-Mai. Here I am in the hands of God.

My day usually starts at 6:30 if I could kick myself out of bed (but usually I'd ignore the clock...and go on sleeping...bad bad). There're lots of time to take a shower, get ready, pray and read and have breakfast because where I live is sharing the same wall with where I work. :) Everyday we have devotion "supposedly" for a half an hour, but most days we spend an hour. So I don't get to start an actual work until 9.

As to answer to the question, "what am I doing exactly?", I am positioned as a tour and visit specialist. I am like a representative, a front-line person for the organization. I'd be the one who gets in touch with the partner countries, sponsors or donors who wish to come visit projects in Thailand. Briefly, I'd do my best to provide as much convenience concerning the visit, and most importantly as much needed information and knowledge of the ministry, projects and children as possible. I act as a part of the advocacy campaign for children. My part is also to encourage the sponsors/ donors to play more important part - that is to be an advocate - by showing them what we, Compassion Thailand, are doing.

So that's briefly what I'm up and about. :) Please pray for my adjustment to the job, people and the living here. It's a challenge but I'm certain that this is where the Lord calls me. I'm also going to a church just a little bit out of town. It's a small church with 20 members, all kinds of people. They do college and prison ministries that I'm now interested in. This church was started by two of my friends since last December. And you'd be surprised if I told you that there're many churches and christians in Chiang-Mai, but they're mostly scattered and shepherdless. Hopefully I can tell you more in my next post. Stay tuned!

Be blessed,